The Perfect Murder – How Not to Get Caught

It’s the ultimate thriller plot: the perfect murder. Getting away with it has been the subject of many movies, books, and series. But what does it look like in reality? Is it really possible to kill without getting caught? And if so, what are the – hypothetical – ingredients for such a crime? Let’s investigate and play a dark little mind game!

Before we get started, there’s one thing that needs to be made clear: this article is by no means meant as a guide. It is purely a theoretical exploration of the topic.

In this article…

• The Reality of Getting Away With Murder
• The Ingredients for the Perfect Murder
  • The Perfect Murder at a Glance
  • No Crime
  • No Body
  • No Evidence
  • No Guarantee…
• Is the Perfect Murder Really Possible?

The Reality of Getting Away With Murder

The planning and execution of the perfect murder has long fascinated true crime enthusiasts. Behind this curiosity lies a sad – and rather concerning – reality: many homicides are never solved.

In the US, nearly one in two murders remains unsolved, with a clearance rate of only around 55%. Even more concerning is the long-term trend: while around 80% of murders were solved in the 1970s, that number has steadily declined to below 60% in the 2020s. According to Project Cold Case, there are currently over 350,000 unsolved murder cases in the US.

In other English-speaking countries, the statistics are a bit less worrying. In the UK, for example, about 75% of homicides are solved.

While a wide range of factors contribute to these numbers – such as limited police resources or gang-related violence – they also suggest that it is, indeed, possible to get away with murder.

And the statistics don’t even tell the whole story. They don’t include those cases that are never recognized as homicides to begin with. But more on that soon.

The Ingredients for the Perfect Murder

Most would agree that the definition of the perfect murder is one where the killer is never caught or convicted. The million-dollar question is: how?

The Perfect Murder at a Glance

These are the elements that could hypothetically make up a perfect murder scenario:

• No crime: A murder that is never acknowledged as a homicide will likely not even be investigated.
• No body: Without a body, it’s often impossible to open (or close) a murder investigation.
• No traces: A killer who leaves no evidence behind is extremely difficult to catch.
• No connection: If there’s no known relationship between the victim and the murderer, the perpetrator may never appear on the investigators’ radar.

Let’s take a closer look at each one of them – and a few other possible elements – to see just how close they might come to the perfect murder.

No Crime

The master discipline of the perfect murder is, without a doubt, making it look like no murder happened at all. Since there are no statistics on concealed homicides, it’s hard to say how likely – or how common – it is to get away with murder this way.

Instead of being recognized as a homicide, the death must appear to be either from natural causes, an accident, or suicide.

Not-so-natural Causes

Concealing a homicide as a natural death, however, is becoming increasingly difficult. Whether further investigations are launched often depends on the doctor called to the scene. If they suspect foul play, an autopsy and further investigation may follow.

This usually comes down to traces left behind, such as puncture wounds from injections or unusual signs of poisoning or suffocation. Some substances, like thallium or insulin, can be especially difficult to detect, as they mimic natural illnesses and may not show up in standard toxicology screens.

Murder as an Accident

Traces also play a crucial role when trying to stage a murder as an accident. Tampering with a vehicle or heavy equipment could lead to a fatal incident – and possibly to the perfect murder.

Homicide or Suicide?

The same applies to staging a suicide to conceal a homicide. Not uncommon are cases when people fall to their death from high buildings or even cruise ships. Due to reasonable doubt, many of these investigations are closed without reaching a definite certainty.

No Body

The next ingredient for the perfect murder is closely tied to the previous one: the absence of a body.

In the U.S., around 600,000 people go missing every year. While the vast majority are eventually found, some vanish without a trace. As of 2025, nearly 25,000 missing person cases remain unsolved – many of them with no body ever recovered.

Without a body, vital pieces of the puzzle are missing, making it significantly harder to solve a case. Investigators may be unable to determine the exact cause of death, and crucial forensic evidence might never be found.

No-Body Homicide in Numbers

However, the absence of a body does not guarantee that no homicide investigation will be opened. If circumstantial evidence suggests that a murder took place, the police will still get involved – and a conviction isn’t unlikely. Since 2012, U.S. police have investigated 660 so-called no-body homicide cases, with 86% of those leading to a conviction.

The Case of Kim Williams

One case worth mentioning is the disappearance of Kim Williams. After she vanished – seemingly without a trace – in 1995, an investigation was launched due to the unusual circumstances of her disappearance. Among other things, her car was found with her personal belongings still inside. 

Despite circumstantial evidence clearly pointing at her boyfriend, the case was initially dismissed. When Captain Dan Willis heard about it three years later, he reopened the investigation – and was successful. Willis found a witness who had heard screams on the night Kim went missing, and her boyfriend could be tied to the site. He was convicted of Kim’s murder and sentenced to 131 years in prison.

No Evidence

If neither staging an accident nor disposing of the body is an option, leaving no traces is another possible ingredient for the perfect murder. However, this is more of a theoretical idea than a realistic one, as it is nearly impossible to achieve.

While some forms of evidence can be avoided – for example by wearing gloves to prevent leaving fingerprints – other traces are far more difficult to eliminate. With forensic techniques constantly evolving, even the smallest amounts of evidence can be enough to place someone at a crime scene. 

Leaving behind hair, skin cells, or fibres might be avoidable by fully covering up. Sweat or saliva, on the other hand, are much harder to control. The tiniest droplets can be sufficient for identification – and leaving some behind is highly likely, especially in a stressful situation like a homicide.

And the list of evidence that could skew the perfect murder doesn’t end there: electronic and digital traces can be just as difficult to avoid. From cell phone data to CCTV recordings, we leave a wide range of traces behind when we move around. 

The Perfect Murder Without a Trace

So, what could a setup to leave no evidence behind actually look like? Before diving in, let me emphasize once more: this is not an instruction manual, but a purely hypothetical exercise meant to illustrate just how difficult it would be to commit a so-called perfect murder. 

• No digital traces: Turn off your phone (or leave it at home entirely) and steer clear of public transport, GPS-tracked vehicles, or surveillance cameras. Your safest option would be to travel by foot or bike, far from monitored areas.
• No biological or chemical traces: Wear full-body protective gear, including gloves, a hat, and a face mask. 
• No identifiable links: Avoid using weapons or tools that could be traced back to their owner. Take everything with you that could serve as evidence, such as shell casings or restraints..
• Nothing left behind: Once you’re far enough from the crime scene, remove and securely pack all protective gear. Dispose of it in a destructive way, for example by burning or chemically dissolving it.
• No attention: Keep a low profile at all times to avoid drawing any kind of attention – no suspicious behavior, no unusual purchases, no altered routines.

While this scenario may be a fascinating mental exercise, it’s far from realistic. In the heat of the moment, something is almost always forgotten – making the idea of the perfect murder virtually impossible.

No Guarantee…

A murder that appears to be none, the complete disappearance of a person, and the absence of any traces could – theoretically – make the perfect murder possible. There are also some other elements that could support such a scenario, though they’re far less likely to be bullet-proof.

No Connection

A complete lack of connection between the victim and the killer can significantly increase the chances of getting away with murder. However, this scenario is rather unlikely and far from a guarantee for the perfect murder. Even in contract killings, where no personal link exists, around half of the cases are eventually solved.

No Witnesses

Witnesses are, without a doubt, powerful evidence in court and they can make or break a murder case. A single witness can lead police to the right suspect, causing the “perfect” murder to unravel quickly. While the absence of witnesses can make clearance and prosecution much more difficult, it’s still no guarantee of getting away with it.

No Motive

The lack of a clear motive can cause investigators to overlook the one person who actually did it. However, much like a murder without any connection between victim and killer, this is a highly unlikely scenario. Why would you kill someone without a reason? 

There is one rather famous case worth mentioning, though: Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb kidnapped and killed a 14-year- old boy in 1924 – with no obvious motive. Their intention was to prove that the perfect murder was possible and that they would be able to commit it without facing any consequences. They were wrong. Both were convicted and spent the rest of their lives in prison.

Is the Perfect Murder Really Possible?

There are many possible elements that could factor into the scenario of a perfect murder. But the question remains: Is such a crime really possible? And, as so often, the answer isn’t a simple one.

If you define the perfect murder simply as one that isn’t solved, then the answer is clearly yes. The crime itself isn’t always what prevents a case from reaching a verdict. Insufficient resources, rising gang-related violence, and many other factors contribute to these concerning statistics.

The perfect murder in the sense of a crime that would be impossible to solve, on the other hand, remains a largely theoretical scenario. The sheer number of elements to plan, control, and execute perfectly makes it highly unlikely.

In the end, a very different – philosophical and perhaps overly idealistic – perspective could be taken: The perfect murder might just be one that never happens.